NARUTO: Warring States
by SongofVedas
Summary: 500 years before Hashirama and Madara, a new story unfolds. Violent warfare engulfs this dark world as an unlikely hero emerges from the bloodied pools of the battlefield. His name is Uishuji Senju.
1. Chapter I: HUNTED! Sessomaru's plight!

_THE HORRORS OF SIKIRIU UCHIHA: WARRING STATES_

Rain fell heavily from fat and gray clouds that hid the summer sky. A _Kunoichi _dressed in sable-black robes stood at the edge of a vast forest as leaves whispered quietly, spurred on by the voice of the wind. A belt gripped her waist, and on her back a scythe waited, poking just above her long and ebony hair.

Below her a deep valley rested and within that valley, a small fortress stood unopposed. Flags bearing the sigil of the _Uchiha no Tani _waved proudly above raised battlements and hastily erected sentry towers. The Kunoichi spotted caravans of concealed goods entering the settlement, guarded by shinobi who wore gray plated armor with large maroon circles drawn on their center chest plates.

"So it's true." The Kunoichi said as she turned her head to the forest behind her.

"Trade with the _Hi No Kuni?" _A voice inquired.

The girl nodded.

A small dove, entirely white in color, poked a pink beak through the green brush and perched itself on the Kunoichi's shoulder. The dove's eyes bore the _Sharingan, _each one fully evolved to three _tomoe._

"Then I don't need to tell you what you need to do." The dove said smoothly with a soft but commanding voice.

"_Sikiriu Uchiha- you are to destroy the Tani."_

"Hurry." Sesomaru's viridian hair bounced against pale cheeks, illuminated by flames that surrounded the forest.

Trees snapped violently in explosive rage, crumbling underneath waves of deep maroon fire, hailing from above in crumbling plumes.

"So this is the Magma style of _Minaju Senju_.." Kokomo rasped slowly. Sesomaru's purple eyes shifted to shoot the young Uchiha a disapproving glare.

"This is nothing we haven't faced before! Stand strong. We're almost to the border. They can't follow us into the Land of Rivers_.. not _unless they want to start a conflict with the land of Fire."

It had been nearly twelve of them at first. But now, it was just _two_.

Sesomaru vaulted onto a tree, tiny embers crossing his face like floating lamps. The fire roared around him, deafening the sound of his thudding heart as tired lungs labored for breath.

Kokomo softly alighted beside him, branch bending underneath her lithe body.

Sharp ebony hair framed her up turned eyes, which glowed the color blood red. Each of her _Sharingan _bore only one tomoe.

"What's wrong? What happened to that confidence you had earlier?" Kokomo's eyes narrowed as she bent her branch lower towards Sesomaru.

"You aren't thinking of surrendering are you? It doesn't matter if he's a _Senju..._He's working with _Tokhta Kaguya_. You know they won't spare us."

Sesomaru clapped his hands together while chakra began to infuse within his body.

"We'll have to make our stand here." He said grimly.

"Why?"

"Look at the smoke. It's not just surrounding us. It's _coming _from ahead of us. He fired his jutsu _ahead_ too, and if we keep running the flames will have made escape impossible."

Kokomo _tsk'd_, pulling a black sleeve from a thin arm. Sealing jutsu crawled across her skin. She slapped her free hand against her painted flesh and within a plume of grand smoke, a bow fell. Catching the bow with trained practice, Kokomo's cursed pupils met Sesomaru's as the latter opened his eyes.

"I've finally caught up to you."

The voice was soft, yet somehow Sesomaru could hear it above the flames. In a way, he almost _felt _Minaju. His skin prickled as fear _truly _did begin to sink into his heart.

"_Sesomaru!" _Kokomo yelled as the young shinobi felt heat pressed against his chest. Opening his eyes wide, he saw Minaju directly above him with his fist fully cloaked in fiery chakra.

"_Magma Style:_ _Corroding Phoenix!" _

A deep _boom_ roared between the two as earth, and then fire, warped into a vortex of dripping heat.

"_Water Style: crimson river barrier technique!" _

Sesomaru lurched as chakra streamed from his body while he was blown backwards. His vision shook violently as shadowy water sprang up from where he formerly was perched.

Smoke hissed into a bedlam of life as the two jutsu met in a horrendous clash. Strong arms caught Sesomaru, and he turned to see Kokomo's face pressed against his as she aided him to his feet.

"see you've been practicing." Kokomo congratulated as Minaju landed before them.

"Let's hope your training was worth it." She finished as the Senju stalked forward.

Sesomaru steadied himself and looked at the man. He was small, barely reaching a meter and a half in in height. His skin was the color of light wood, and blazoned ebony hair was pulled backwards, forming a zig-zaging ponytail that reached his waist.

He wore a dark red kimono peckered with thousands of multi-colored birds, wings spread in a rainbow of migration across his body.

Surprisingly soft eyes found themselves on a vibrant and youthful face, but his pupils held a certain _darkness _in their black simplicity, and despite his friendly demeanor, he carried the intent kill.

"Minaju Senju.." Sesomaru placed a foot forward as he forced his body to infuse chakra. After his last Justu, his reserves were running low.

_It will have to be simple and quick. _

He nodded towards Kokomo, who began flexing her fingers on her bow. Four seals had been inscribed onto the back and base of her bow by an ancient _fuinjutsu_ practitioner. With this, she could cast justu with ease.

"Hello." Minaju said, using full honorifics.

"I'm sorry that war has made us cross paths like this. I truly wish there was another way." He said respectfully.

Kokomo's sharingan suddenly flexed towards Sesomaru.

"Above!" She shouted, zipping backwards as thin spears of molten stone rained from on high. Sesomaru gasped as four prongs stabbed into his lungs, forcing air out of his mouth, coupled with gurgles of blood.

Minaju sprung forward, clapping his hands together. A wellspring of chakra exploded from within him, and two dragon-like abominations with fiery eyes and burning mouths slithered forth in terrifying speed.

Sessomaru's body brutally exploded in a roaring burst of thick, black smoke in the _teeth _of Minaju's Jutsu. The attacking _Senju's _eyes instantly _flicked _to his right, and he flexed his torso backwards in mid air, catching an arrow that zipped by his face.

"_Bonded curse carving technique!" _Kokomo shouted as she leapt through the flames of Sesomaru's corpse. Minaju _tch'd_ as Kokomo's arrow suddenly began to glow as red _kanji _infected Minaju's hand. Then, the projectile dissipated in smoke.

A _clap _of chakra _hoo'd _in the air- Minaju was suddenly throttled sideways as an arrow appeared directly embedded in his torso.

He was pulled into the trees to his left, hitting them heavily with a loud crash. Blood splayed across the trunk of the tree he was pinned to, while intestines lopped lazily from his rent kimono.

Kokomo's eyes danced to the ground directly beneath her.

Her justu increased the velocity of any arrow she had cast, and allowed her to summon the arrow on her attackers body. But something was wrong..

_I have to be- _

Trained nerves flexed honed legs to force her to somersault backwards while soft ebbings of heat were felt passing her body. She oriented herself as her sharingan bounced within her eye sockets.

She was barely keeping up with Minaju, who erupted from a smoldering tunnel underneath her, all the while his doomed clone clumped into wet embers.

"You're an _excellent _sensory type!" Minaju congratulated as he closed the distance between them with one jump. Crashing her bow into his fist, she clapped the curving weapon's stem.

"_Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" _She roared a curling and embering ball of flame into existence, and it came crashing down on Minaju.

Kokomo landed on the ground on the balls of her feet, while a great symphony of smoke unfurled from a meters-wide crater.

The young Uchiha offshoot gave labored breaths while trees continued to crumble and fall to the forest floor, sending gusts of fire across her small face.

"So this is the famous _Jutsu_ of the _Uchiha no Kuni? _Not nearly as impressive as your other cousins, unfortunately."

Minaju stepped from shifting smoke in a cloak of viscous-like magma, seemingly unfazed by the incredible heat that it gave off.

But in seconds, the shield _shattered-_ a flash of silver, smaller than Kokomo's arrowheads- dashed through Minaju's barrier, and cut the flesh of his lower exposed ankle.

"_I _see!" He roared in annoyance as he attempted to turn towards Sesomaru, who advanced from behind while his hands hastily signed.

"_Water Style: Enclosing mist!" _Sesomaru shouted as vapor overtook his body. It distorted the view of Sesomaru's movements, as his particles of water arranged into mist affected Minaju's perception of light.

Minaju threw a punch towards Sesomaru, who _curled_ around it while calling a _kunai_ from his sleeve. Kokomo summoned an arrow with a slap of her palm, stringing it while running forward.

"_Multiple Arrow Shadow Clone Jutsu!" _Kokomo said as her arrow left her bow, and multiplied by twenty. Sesomaru primed his weapon towards Minaju's kidneys.

_We have him- _they both simultaneously thought.

But then-

A hand constructed of molten earth curled from the ground, catching Kokomo's arrows with bubbling palms.

Minaju's index finger, armored by instantly cooled lava, held back Sesomaru's struggling kunai._._

"I can see why you two survived." Minaju said coolly. He turned suddenly with a smirk, catching Sesomaru off-guard. A whirling kick caught the ninja in the stomach, sending him crashing backwards into the forest, and closer to the encroaching wall of fire.

Kokomo dismissed her bow and sped forth. Minaju twirled on his feet to meet her. He vipered a fist and aimed it for her eyes, and the uchiha effortlessly ducked and pushed his hand away.

"_Oh_?" Minaju said, impressed as he watched her arms and slight subtle movements in her muscles, as opposed to meeting her gaze.

Kokomo unleashed a flurry of blows towards Minaju. The Senju warrior was _smart_\- he didn't try evading as her eyes would see his intents. He simply became a resolute wall- absorbing and deflecting her punches with slight taps on the tops of her palms.

A whip of water twirled around Minaju's neck. It tightened in a hissing spout coming from Sesomaru, who emerged from the brush with a mouth that bore a trail of fresh blood.

Minjau bent forward and sent a wave of pulsating heat that caused Kokomo to fly hurtling backwards, and melted Sesomaru's jutsu.

Minaju primed to leap for Sesomaru, but suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"_You're _here." He said.

Kokomo jumped to her feet.

"_Uishuji.." _She whispered.

"I'm sorry. I came as fast as I could". Uishuji said quickly. The _Senju _of Fire's long black hair bounced against a tan forehead, while the rest of his locks fell towards the points of his cheekbones.

Slanted eyes bearing night black pupils appraised Minaju. Uishuji was dressed in deep red armor, plated with a long collar that framed his face. Underneath he wore a simple black tunic and a belt of scrolled _jutsu_ hugged his waist.

"Sesomaru..."

Kokomo's eyes fluttered before turning black, staring from a pretty face covered in smut.

"He's low on chakra." She continued, "I'm managing, but we've been on the defensive ever since."

Kokomo's voice rasped over the sound of crumbling wood while Uishuji stepped forward.

Sesomaru's face melted into palpable relief when tired eyes saw Uishuji, and he fell to the ground while tears streamed down his cheeks.

"And everyone else?" Uishuji asked softly.

"Dead." Kokomo answered as she ran past the two Senju to aid Sesomaru. Minaju didn't move to stop her as he turned fully to Uishuji.

"Oh." He said with a smile.

"I was about to kill your friends."


	2. Chapter II: His name is Uishuji Senju!

Uishuji Senju.." Minaju's eyes narrowed at his clansman.

"You're still running around doing Tokhta's dirty work, are you?" Uishuji said, clicking his tongue playfully, while goading Minaju with a brash smile.

The traitor Senju chuckled, spreading his arms around to the fire that roared around them. Fire red orbs of lava veined with churning earth curled around Minaju's wrists, constricting into finely finished spheres of obsidian. It melted into an opaque liquid, and formed around Minaju's feet.

He clasped his hands together, pointing his fingers towards his forehead.

"_Tokhta_'s dirty work? I suppose you are right to a certain extent. We're all creatures of circumstance."

Zig-zagging rods slowly began to rise from Minaju's pool, each one presenting a deeply blue flame.

"However," Minaju began, grinning as Uishuji's eyes darted back towards his friends.

"Kokomo!" The warrior Senju called.

"I know," she answered.

The Uchiha girl gathered up Sesomaru, a leaping black wraith against the light of fire.

"I do things like _this _for fun!" Minjau exclaimed happily as a black spear hounded Kokomo. It flew with terrifying speed, and the fire that lead it caused it to roar as it devoured the wind in its path.

Uishuji's hands flew to the scrolls at his belt. Unfurling bleached parchment with trained flourish, Uishuji bit his finger, and then fed the dripping wound to his scroll in one motion.

Weaving signs with incredible speed, Uishuji's eyes flashed.

"_Uzumaki sealing technique: Grand Outer Burial!" _

A curling maw of chains sprung from the earth, wrapping themselves around the cruel spear meant for Kokomo's back.

The chains pulled the missile to the earth with violent speed, crashing loudly with smoke reverberating in its wake.

Kokomo leapt from dying branches above the fire beds that ate all vegetation below, until Uishuji could no longer feel her chakra.

"Good, now on to-" Uishuji's ears whistled.

Minaju snapped before Uishuji, extending his fingers into a fine blade meant for his brethren's neck.

Uishuji dipped backward, only for Minaju to smile as he reverted his hand into a casting sign.

Minaju's pool churned, sending dozens of spears hurtling into the air. They created a booming howl that deafened ears, and flipping downwards-with their points fixed on Uishuji, they descended.

A crescendo of flame and cracking earth volcanoed upwards while smoke bleakley rose from where Uishuji once stood. Minaju covered his eyes with long sleeves, and chuckled as air carrying bits of molten rock rushed past brown ankles.

"That Uzumaki _sealing technique is _impressive." Minaju whistled.

"Hey! Thanks!"

A giant _Oni_ mask decorated with blood tears vanished from existence in a plume of white smoke, leaving a grinning Uishuji behind as a parting gift.

The boy smiled happily, unfazed by the smut that dimmed his clan's armor.

"But not even fabled _sealing_ jutsu can save your precious _Land of Fire. _Tokhta will claim what is his by birthright. That's _why _I'm doing what I'm doing." Minjau politely smirked.

Uishuji's skin began to tickle.

_He's kneading chakra. A lot of it. _

Brown eyes glanced at the flames around him. The fire should've overtaken them by now, and yet-

_He's keeping the blaze at bay. He's really trying to take his time and fight.. _

Uishuji reached backwards, pulling a scroll from a small sheath on his shoulder.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to use this. I _really_ hate doing it."

Minaju raised his eyebrows.

"I can tell you _love _to fight, so I'm sure you're curious as to what this is." Uishuji goaded.

The renegade Senju laughed curtly.

"By all means."

Uishuji closed his eyes, throwing armored arms upwards as the scroll opened above him.

Chakra circled around the clanging ringlets tied to Uishuji's sandals. A curved blade comprised of wood slithered from the scroll, blinking eyes surrounding the quivering edge.

Veins of roots curled from the hilt, shooting into Uishuji's body between the exposed plates of his armor.

He groaned, blood dripping from his right arm as the weapon dragged itself into a waiting hand.

"_Uzumaki sealing jutsu: Mokumuirin's blood sword" _Uishuji raised the weapon, pointing it at Minaju.

A second pair of eyes sprouted above Uishuji's brows, staring forward with an icy blue gaze.

"The sad thing is Minaju... I'm getting the feeling you still think you can _kill_ me." Uishuji grinned devilishly.

"Another _Uzumaki_ parlor trick? _Pathetic." _Minaju retorted with a scoff.

Minaju's pool bubbled around his feet. Arms of slime clambered up his kimono, pressing the flowered tunic tightly against his athletic body.

The obsidian cloak stopped at the nape of Minaju's neck, and flared out behind him like a ruined cape.

"Obsidian Cloak: _Black Emperor." _Minaju's voice shook with strength as chakra welled within the Senju's body.

But then...

Minaju raised his hands.

"Giving up? That's not li.." Uishuji began,

But then twirled on his feet, raising his blade into a graceful arc. The eyes on the sword _blinked _as they caught sight of incoming _kunai_, turning them into relics of stone that fell heavily to the ground.

A chattering crow _puppet_ burst from the flames, descending upon Uishuji like a weighted arrow.

The sword's eyes _snapped _towards the crow, capturing it in a stone prison.

But..

The rock-like casket burst open, and the crow emerged, nearly four times in size.

Uishuji let the sword _drink, _wincing while blood seeped from his flesh. The blade, upon drinking blood, could summon simple wood techniques wherever Uishuji's second "eyes" gazed.

Vortexes of chakra opened around the crow, shooting whipping staves of wood that were easily evaded. The puppet deftly flew close to the ground as it came upon Uishuji.

The young man _tsk'd_, flipping the wooden blade upwards while the crow's metal beak drilled into the magic oak.

The crow disengaged, spread its wings...

And grew even larger.

Uishuji slid backwards, his stance faltering as the crow crouched before him.

_I'm going to need to plan my next steps carefully, or I could die_.

Uishuji masked his worry with a grin, looking at Minaju behind the avian construct.

"Is this one of yours?" Uishuji Senju asked.

"Looks like I'm in trouble." Minjau said as two more puppets landed beside him.

One looked like a human-sized skeleton, with curving horns and a blackened finish. At the end of skeletal arms two decapitated heads waited, dressed with long white hair tied into a ponytail. The mouths of the heads were open, and black fog wafted lazily from rotting teeth.

The second was larger. It looked like a maiden woman, dressed in a green and white kimono. Segmented fingers held a wicked scythe while the puppet paced the space between Minaju and Uishuji, tape flowing behind its back.

Unfazed from the flame, a girl suddenly stepped out of the ruined forest. She had deeply white hair that was gathered into two curving tails that tied behind her neck. Her brows were partly shaven, and red dots surrounded the outer curve of her eyes, which bore the _Byakugan._

She wore a simple black tunic with a metal mesh undergarment, and her legs were dressed in flared black slacks, cuffed neatly into flat white boots.

"Who are you?" Uishuji blurted.

The girl didn't move or speak.

The crow suddenly opened its beak, sending a cylindrical cone flying towards Uishuji. Before he could react, the object burst in a bang of light. He recoiled angrily, leaping into the air and landing on an adjacent branch.

The clearing below was pockmarked with signs of battle, but Minaju and his rescuer were gone.

Uishuji released the summoned weapon, leaning heavily on a tree beside him as he steadied his breathing.

"No time to _rest_ now," he said cheerfully as he groaned to his full height.

_I need to get back to the village. _

Uishuji glanced to the where Minaju had fled one more time.

Glaring, he turned his attention back home.

Kokomo burst through a shield of green leaves. Despite her tiredness, the fresh smell of pine rejuvenated her strength, giving her legs renewed vigor as she carried Sesomaru while hopping branch to branch.

"We're almost home." Kokomo said, looking down at her friend with a grin.

Sesomaru returned the expression, though exhaustion had clearly set into his eyes. He needed a few days rest.

They crossed over bubbling streams and zipped across open plains of tall grass interspersed between thick cities of lumbering oak.

This was the _Kawa no Kuni, _client state of the Land of Fire.

The land of rivers was primarily home to the Uchiha no Kawa, a branch of the clan that had settled there hundreds of years ago.

The Uchiha clans themselves were split amongst the land- some warring with each other, and some joining other lands in violent confederations.

War was constant, and bloodshed was daily. Kokomo herself had lost four brothers already, and Sesomaru lost his entire family.

Conflict had shaped her life, but it was the only life she knew.

Kokomo came upon the familiar gate that guarded her clan's home. It sat above a wide river that surrounded the main village, acting as a natural protection from intruders.

A drawbridge creaked across the night sky, and fellow ninja came to meet Kokomo. They took Sesomaru from her hands, bringing the boy back with them as Kokomo followed.

The village of Rivers was bustling.

Even at night, merchants prepared their shops for the next day's business. Shinobi patrolled the streets, and vigilant sensory types stalked high battlements that lined the river's edge.

Here, the Uchiha flourished. Due to the relative safety in the realm of the _Kuni, _the river Uchiha were able to practice their bowcraft jutsu, further enhanced by borrowed fuinjutsu from their allies.

It was because of this that she felt safe. Despite what had happened, and despite the deaths that she had personally endured, Kokomo knew that nothing could hurt her if she was within earshot of the river.

"Kokomo. You're all that's returned?"

The girl looked up to see Hyuin Awakama. He was a captain in the _Butai_, the ninja corps of the river clan. Operating alongside the Uchiha, they comprised the other half of Kawa's military power.

"They've brought Sesomaru to the healing circles. We got separated from the others...they were killed. But Uishuji saved us."

Hyuin's green eyes hardened.

He was jealous of Uishuji.

"Where is the _Senju_ now?" He asked.

Kokomo shook her head, turning back to the forests she had fled from.

"He came across _Minaju." _

Hyuin's expression completely changed.

The captain closed his eyes, crossing his arms.

"It's a blessing that you're here then."

Hyuin leaned in closer to Kokomo, his lips brushing her ears.

"Is it _true?" _

Kokomo's neck shivered as she remembered the reason for her mission. The truth that she carried- the knowledge that killed her teammates.

Her voice rang coolly in the night, even though it was barely above a whisper.

"_Tokhta Kaguya has acquired a tailed beast." _


End file.
